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Mick Cronin says the tradition of UNC isn't a factor anymore
Posted on 4/6/26 at 10:34 am
Posted on 4/6/26 at 10:34 am
https://larrybrownsports.com/college-basketball/mick-cronin-reacts-tommy-lloyd-decision-arizona/748527
I think it's pretty obvious now. NIL changes everything. UNC is dealing with the same issue UK dealt with. UNC also thinks they are too uppity for certain coaches (Oats, Golden) so all they're going to do is just make it even harder on themselves more so than UK did. Coaches are turning them down left and right. These coaches can now get a fat contract with good NIL funding and build a highly competitive team at a non traditional school.
Oats just signed a top 5 contract and he doesn't have to deal the crazy pressure that comes with a blueblood. Same with Golden. He can stay put and get a top salary while competing for championships without being in a pressure cooker.
quote:
Cronin said he’s “not shocked” that Lloyd is staying at Arizona while mentioning the difference in the sport due to NIL.
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If tweet fails to load, click here. I think it's pretty obvious now. NIL changes everything. UNC is dealing with the same issue UK dealt with. UNC also thinks they are too uppity for certain coaches (Oats, Golden) so all they're going to do is just make it even harder on themselves more so than UK did. Coaches are turning them down left and right. These coaches can now get a fat contract with good NIL funding and build a highly competitive team at a non traditional school.
Oats just signed a top 5 contract and he doesn't have to deal the crazy pressure that comes with a blueblood. Same with Golden. He can stay put and get a top salary while competing for championships without being in a pressure cooker.
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Posted on 4/6/26 at 10:58 am to Contra
Happening to college football also
Posted on 4/6/26 at 11:15 am to Contra
quote:
Coaches are turning them down left and right.
Hasn’t it just been like 3 guys so far?
I think a lot of the narrative around the blue bloods being toast is just a mistaken interpretation of them having a weak few years. Blue bloods have huge fan bases and the most valuable brands, both of which give them an advantage in the NIL era if directed correctly.
This post was edited on 4/6/26 at 11:17 am
Posted on 4/6/26 at 11:17 am to Contra
What UNC needs is a marquee alum and former player on a natty winning team that pulls in like $300 million a year just sitting on his arse (from a contract negotiated by his mother 40 years ago), on top of all his other stuff.
Maybe they could get him to pitch in.
Maybe they could get him to pitch in.
This post was edited on 4/6/26 at 11:20 am
Posted on 4/6/26 at 11:21 am to Contra
The issue we dealt with, and still are, is a jackass AD. Rick Pitino wanted the job when we got rid of Cal. He also wanted the job when we hire Gillispie. Cal wanted the job then too, and our AD had to be forced into it by the boosters when we fired Gillispie.
Mitch's hiring process this last go round was throw the bank at Hurley, get turned down, and then he immediately dropped down the ladder to either Scott Drew or Mark Pope. Billy Donovan expressed interest but wanted to wait until the Bulls season ended and Mitch refused to wait.
Mitch is the same dipshit who hired Joker Phillips. That was a disaster, even by UK football historical standards. Mark Stoops came to us. He had the #2 defense in the nation at then national champion Florida State, and Mark wasn't even on Mitch's interview list.
I haven't kept up with the UNC search, but don't group us in there as if coaching at UK or the other bluebloods isn't still a once in a lifetime job for a lot of capable coaches.
I'm not saying there's no truth to what Cronin is saying these days....there is some. But there are only so many schools who are going to poor the resources in to college basketball the way that UK etc are going to. Mostly it just depends on what the coach wants out of life. You come to Lexington, you're going to live in a bubble, but you'll be a king.
Mitch's hiring process this last go round was throw the bank at Hurley, get turned down, and then he immediately dropped down the ladder to either Scott Drew or Mark Pope. Billy Donovan expressed interest but wanted to wait until the Bulls season ended and Mitch refused to wait.
Mitch is the same dipshit who hired Joker Phillips. That was a disaster, even by UK football historical standards. Mark Stoops came to us. He had the #2 defense in the nation at then national champion Florida State, and Mark wasn't even on Mitch's interview list.
I haven't kept up with the UNC search, but don't group us in there as if coaching at UK or the other bluebloods isn't still a once in a lifetime job for a lot of capable coaches.
I'm not saying there's no truth to what Cronin is saying these days....there is some. But there are only so many schools who are going to poor the resources in to college basketball the way that UK etc are going to. Mostly it just depends on what the coach wants out of life. You come to Lexington, you're going to live in a bubble, but you'll be a king.
Posted on 4/6/26 at 11:22 am to Contra
UNC was right to can Hubie. I think they can get better coaching for their money than him.
They need to worry less about hiring a sure thing name and just hiring the right coach. Dan Hurley kicked around at Rhode Island for 6 years and never got past the round of 32 before going to UCONN. Hurley turned them into the closest thing to dynasty we've seen in basketball in some time.
Also, I disagree with tradition being meaningless. Tradition with no money for roster and staff is a problem. UNC is not impoverished.
It is meaningful to have tradition because it usually means you have fan support and that means you're going to have NIL money to hand players above and beyond revenue share.
They need to worry less about hiring a sure thing name and just hiring the right coach. Dan Hurley kicked around at Rhode Island for 6 years and never got past the round of 32 before going to UCONN. Hurley turned them into the closest thing to dynasty we've seen in basketball in some time.
Also, I disagree with tradition being meaningless. Tradition with no money for roster and staff is a problem. UNC is not impoverished.
It is meaningful to have tradition because it usually means you have fan support and that means you're going to have NIL money to hand players above and beyond revenue share.
Posted on 4/6/26 at 11:30 am to Crowknowsbest
I mean 3 guys is a lot for unc. 10 years ago it was a job you couldn’t say no to. They poached Roy Williams from Kansas. It’s kinda wild
Posted on 4/6/26 at 11:35 am to bamabaseballsec
quote:
I mean 3 guys is a lot for unc. 10 years ago it was a job you couldn’t say no to. They poached Roy Williams from Kansas. It’s kinda wild
Roy Williams was a special case given his prior ties to UNC. It’s not shocking that they’d miss out on coaches who have big programs in this year’s final four. That certainly doesn’t mean the job now isn’t good.
Posted on 4/6/26 at 12:39 pm to Crowknowsbest
quote:
Roy Williams was a special case given his prior ties to UNC. It’s not shocking that they’d miss out on coaches who have big programs in this year’s final four. That certainly doesn’t mean the job now isn’t good.
And even Roy Williams turned them down the first time they came after him. UNC will be fine.
Posted on 4/6/26 at 12:48 pm to Contra
Pretty sure we'd give them our guy for a bag of basketballs and a way out of the terrible buyout extension that DRF gave on her way out the door to Arizona ...
Posted on 4/6/26 at 12:56 pm to AmishSamurai
Pretty certain they are going to get Donovan if they just wait a week
Posted on 4/6/26 at 1:02 pm to ColoradoAg
They just hired Mike Malone per reports online. It would appear that the job is still very appealing.
Posted on 4/6/26 at 2:14 pm to Crowknowsbest
That is a great hire!
Posted on 4/6/26 at 2:41 pm to UKWildcats
quote:
going to poor the resources in to college basketball the way that UK etc are going to
Classic Freudian slip
Posted on 4/6/26 at 2:44 pm to ColoradoAg
As someone who attended UNC, I’m pleased with the Malone hire. Bubba was adamant about going outside the family for this hire and he definitely did that. I wanted Donovan, but this isn’t settling IMO.
Posted on 4/6/26 at 2:51 pm to Crowknowsbest
The guy that got fired last year with no college experience? We have different views on the hire. 
Posted on 4/6/26 at 2:56 pm to Contra
quote:
NIL changes everything
It sure did
Posted on 4/6/26 at 3:25 pm to Contra
quote:
I think it's pretty obvious now. NIL changes everything. UNC is dealing with the same issue UK dealt with.
While this may be true... it isn't like Arizona is chopped liver as a basketball job and as a program... They've spent the better part of 40 years being a top ten program by now.
They aren't a traditional Blue Blood...but they have probably passed UCLA and are at least even if not past Indiana on the totem pole. You have UNC, Kansas, Kentucky at the top... And Arizona is now in that next group of teams.
Posted on 4/6/26 at 3:59 pm to Crowknowsbest
“They just hired Mike Malone per reports online. It would appear that the job is still very appealing.”
Yea, he was literally like the 4th or 5th pick. Fact is blueblood status isn’t what it was 20 years ago. Back in the day all schools offered a car. With everything being equal a kid chose the blueblood, the coach chose the blueblood. Now, the B1G is offering generational wealth that the SEC or the ACC just can’t hang with. It’s ALL about NIL now. A guy can coach football at Texas tech, have a comparable salary and unlimited NIL and win games he couldn’t have won before. He doesn’t have to coach at Bama or Notre Dame. Same with basketball. UNC isn’t a job you cant turn down now. The coach means little now. Indiana just won the title…in football FFS. All about the dollars now.
Yea, he was literally like the 4th or 5th pick. Fact is blueblood status isn’t what it was 20 years ago. Back in the day all schools offered a car. With everything being equal a kid chose the blueblood, the coach chose the blueblood. Now, the B1G is offering generational wealth that the SEC or the ACC just can’t hang with. It’s ALL about NIL now. A guy can coach football at Texas tech, have a comparable salary and unlimited NIL and win games he couldn’t have won before. He doesn’t have to coach at Bama or Notre Dame. Same with basketball. UNC isn’t a job you cant turn down now. The coach means little now. Indiana just won the title…in football FFS. All about the dollars now.
Posted on 4/6/26 at 5:24 pm to Contra
Mick was never getting an interview and was not happy about it.
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